Spicy Sweet & Sour Sauce

If you are looking for a quick and simple dipping sauce, then look no further!

This Easter I had everything ready to go. I made chicken thighs, daal, naan, and egg rolls. About 15 minutes before it was time to eat, I realized that the chicken egg rolls didn’t have a dipping sauce! 

Searching through Pinterest only led to sweet and sour sauces that required pineapple juice. An ingredient that I didn’t have on hand and thanks to the national pandemic, going to the store wasn’t an option. 

But alas, the internet is a vast treasure trove of recipes and a dipping sauce was found. My recipe was inspired by JenAroundtheWorld.

Notes:

I use dark brown sugar, but, light brown sugar will work too

This recipe calls for ½ cup of vinegar, but start out with ¼ cup and adjust to your taste.

Chili flakes are optional, but like the vinegar, adjust to your taste.

For this recipe I started out using white distilled vinegar, but I recently switched to seasoned rice vinegar and it make a world of a difference. It's milder in taste so if you prefer a more tangy sauce, white vinegar is the way to go.

When picking out a chili powder, look for one with more chili flakes in it instead of one with a bunch of seeds. I found mine at 88 Ranch, which is an Asian market and it cost me about $5.

I start by sauteing my garlic and ginger if I am using them. It helps to release more of their flavors.

Next, add everything into a pot and mix it up.

It might look a little clumpy because of the ketchup, but it will all mix together when you cook it.

Let it cool and place it in a jar and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup Dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup ketchup
• ¼ - ½ cup rice vinegar or white distilled vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic (optional)
• ½ teaspoon minced ginger (optional)

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients in a small pan over medium high heat and cook for 10 minutes.
2. Cook until the sauce has reduced and thickened. About 2-3 more minutes.
3. Allow to cool slightly before transferring to a container. Once transferred, allow to cool completely. Then store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks if the garlic and ginger were used or up to 3 weeks if they were omitted.